Field of the Invention
Embodiments consistent with the present invention generally relate to methods and apparatus for evaluating the suitability of one or more articles such, for example, as articles of apparel and sporting goods, and for fulfilling orders for such articles according to the evaluation.
Description of the Related Art
An individual shopping for articles of apparel such as shirts, pants, shoes, socks, sports jackets and the like, for sporting goods such as tennis rackets, bicycles, and skis, and for many other types of articles which must “fit” the individual, has a variety of choices and options in the marketplace. By way of example, an individual may walk into a department store or specialty store and buy an article solely based on the sizing information found on a label affixed to the article or on the packaging in which the article is wrapped. Likewise, a person may navigate to an internet site and follow the same general procedure outlined above. Although online shopping is easy and convenient, the overall quality of the fit for a particular individual can vary greatly from one article to the next.
Among the factors giving rise to variations in fit for articles of apparel having the same nominal size classification are cut selection, sizing accuracy, the manner in which one manufacturer attaches the discrete components of an article compared to that employed by another, and other factors. As such, even if a consumer is fortunate enough on one occasion to select an “off the rack” article which fits perfectly, there is a high probability that a selection made by relying on those same measurements—even during the same shopping experience—will fail to meet the consumer's expectations.
Most consumers are well aware of the fact that no two persons have an identical shape or body configuration. Those who specifically require their clothing to be weft-fitted will generally seek out an establishment able to evaluate the need for, and to effectuate, alterations to pre-set standardized clothing sizes. Rarely does the “standardized” clothing precisely fit the particular body configuration of a customer. For this reason, a professional clothing salesperson must mark up the clothing for alteration and, if no inhouse tailoring capability exists, send the marked up clothing out to a tailoring shop for adjustment. When the customer returns to the retail shop for pick-up, he or she will generally try on the clothing a second time in order to ensure that proper tailoring adjustments have been made. In cases where the measuring or tailoring functions were inaccurate, the clothing will be sent back again to the tailoring shop for further adjustment. This is obviously a cumbersome, time consuming and expensive task.
During the course of an online shopping experience, an individual may encounter a sporting article or a sports related accessory, such as a bicycle, a bicycle helmet, or a tennis racket, which appears to be ideally suited for the type of sporting activity the individual would like to do. As in the case of apparel articles, there are variations in the frame and other components of a bicycle which can affect that bicycle's suitability for particular rider. The same can be said of many other categories of articles. Knowing this, online shoppers often refrain from buying bulky and expensive-to-ship items out of fear that they may not fit and need returning.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods and systems for carrying out the evaluation of articles in a way which does not require physical access to the consumer, and which enables the performance of various tasks involved in the manufacturing, alteration, selection, and/or delivery of such articles.